The present invention relates to motor vehicle manufacturing. More specifically, the illustrative embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatuses for making hydroformed structural members, that may be used in motor vehicle frame construction.
It is known to construct motor vehicle frames which incorporate one or more hydroformed members. A hydroformed frame component may be further processed or xe2x80x9cfinishedxe2x80x9d after hydroforming to its final configuration. Finishing may be carried out by, for example, laser cutting. However, laser cutting is time consuming and expensive.
The present invention can be embodied in a method of forming a structural member, the method comprising providing a blank having a tubular metallic wall, hydroforming the blank to form a hydroformed member by a method comprising providing a hydroforming die assembly having a hydroforming die cavity defined by hydroforming surfaces, positioning the blank and the hydroforming die assembly such that the blank is within the hydroforming die cavity, and providing a high pressure fluid into an interior of the blank to expand the wall of the blank outwardly into conformity with the hydroforming die surfaces, and applying electromagnetic energy to the hydroformed member by a method comprising, providing a second die with a second die surface, positioning the wall of the hydroformed member between the second die surface and an electromagnetic discharging element having a non-circular cross-section, and actuating the electromagnetic discharging element so that the metallic wall of the hydroformed member presses against the second die surface.
The present invention can also be embodied in a method of forming a structural member, the method comprising providing a tubular member with a longitudinal axis and having a non-circular cross-section transverse to the longitudinal axis being formed by a tubular metallic wall, providing a die having a die surface, positioning the tubular member in the die, providing a tubular electromagnetic discharging element with a longitudinal axis and having a non-circular cross-section transverse to the longitudinal axis, inserting a non-circular electromagnetic discharging element into the tubular member, the non-circular cross-section of the electromagnetic discharging element closely following and corresponding to the non-circular cross-section of the tubular member; and actuating the electromagnetic discharging element so that the wall of the tubular member presses against the die surface.
The present invention may also be embodied in a method of forming a structural member, the method comprising providing a longitudinal axis member having a non-circular cross-section transverse to the longitudinal axis being formed by a tubular metallic wall, forming a hole in the member extending completely through the tubular metallic wall by electromagnetic discharge by a method comprising providing a die with a die surface, the die surface having an opening, positioning the tubular metallic wall between an electromagnetic discharging element and the die surface, and actuating the electromagnetic discharging element so that the tubular metallic wall is forced against the die surface and against the opening to form the hole.
Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the illustrated embodiments, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.